As lined lately, Refurbishment Season is in Full Pressure at Walt Disney World. Winter is a typical time for experience closures and resort upkeep tasks, and there are a number of that simply began or had been lately calendared.
With regards to the inns, the large ones this time of 12 months are often swimming pools. This is smart, as chilly climate makes swimming pools much less fascinating in winter. And naturally, there are rolling room refurbishments, facade tasks, and every little thing else. See our record of 2026-2027 Lodge Building & Refurbishments at Walt Disney World for a rundown.
Lodge tasks are introduced pretty far prematurely to supply enough discover in order that visitors can change resorts or make room requests. Every of the final two years, there have been plenty of these tasks scheduled in November, with solely minor updates thereafter.
The most important exception to that’s swimming pools–these appear to be scheduled both a full 12 months prematurely or a number of days prematurely, with little in-between. And the latter sometimes happens when both the climate presents a window of alternative or there’s pressing, unplanned upkeep.
Along with the unsurprising trio of pool closures that Walt Disney World simply added to the calendar, they’ve additionally added a number of restaurant-related tasks. We lined the extra impactful of those in Two of Disney World’s Greatest Eating places Closing for Multi-Month Adjustments in 2026, which pertains to prolonged refreshes of Yachtsman Steakhouse and Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort.
As we speak, now we have new discover of a venture on the Polynesian, which is able to influence fan-favorite ‘Ohana:
Starting January 15, 2026, parts of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will bear exterior upkeep. Throughout this time, views of the Seven Seas Lagoon from ‘Ohana could also be partially or fully obstructed. We apologize for any inconvenience.
That bulletin isn’t fairly correct, in that the outside upkeep didn’t simply begin a few days in the past. Moderately, it simply moved to such a place across the Nice Ceremonial Home that it has the potential to impede ‘Ohana.
Right here’s the complete bulletin for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort:
From Might 2025 by 2026, some areas of the Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows are being refurbished. This work contains the reconfiguration of the entrance entrance roadway and bus space.
Whereas development exercise can be noticeable throughout daytime hours, efforts can be made to attenuate disruptions. All Resort eating, swimming pools and facilities will stay out there. Moreover, some views of the theme parks and different surrounding areas could also be impacted. Please enable for additional journey time when arriving at or leaving the Resort.
Far and away the most important part of this venture is the reconfiguration of the entrance entrance. Throughout a current keep within the Island Tower, our room ignored this work, and it was an enormous development zone. This new entrance to the Polynesian additionally impacts the car parking zone and bus loop, and there’s main work being finished to re-route and develop Floridian Means.
That’s not all, although. During the last a number of months, we’ve seen another exterior work going down. Throughout that very same keep on the Island Tower, we observed roof work on the adjoining Aotearoa Longhouse; crews additionally fully rebuilt the outside staircase.
I’m undecided whether or not they’ve moved on to different longhouses or if it was merely Aotearoa that wanted additional consideration. I didn’t assume to take images, however I appear to recall different roofs having flags up suggesting they is perhaps subsequent up. Not that this actually issues to the ‘Ohana venture; however truthfully, I’m additionally undecided what’s occurring across the GCH, or how lengthy it’ll final.
As for ‘Ohana, we first obtained a heads up about this venture from a reader with an Advance Eating Reservation later this month who obtained an e-mail with the discover. There’s no indication as to how lengthy the work impacting the views from ‘Ohana will final. I’d be curious to know if anybody else with upcoming ADRs at ‘Ohana did or didn’t obtain the discover.
Though that wouldn’t essentially be conclusive of venture dates, it will give us a window into Walt Disney World’s pondering with this venture. It may be completely meaningless–they may’ve despatched a blast to everybody with ‘Ohana ADRs within the subsequent 60+10 days, even when the venture is just prone to final a few weeks. We actually don’t have any clue.
The inevitable query with a venture like that is whether or not it’s best to keep away from ‘Ohana as a result of development. That sort of relies upon.
In our recently-updated record of the Greatest Eating places with Magic Kingdom Fireworks Views, we wrote the next of ‘Ohana:
One factor that’s usually ignored about ‘Ohana is that it’s the objectively-best restaurant at Walt Disney World for Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing. It’s fairly near a dead-on view, which means the present is sort of centered. The massive bursts from the fireworks exterior Magic Kingdom do seem a bit to the left of Cinderella Citadel, however solely barely.
The truth–a minimum of what we’ve skilled–is just not fairly pretty much as good. Since that is probably the most family-friendly restaurant on this record, demand for window tables right here is the best. This implies requests for window seats are much less prone to be fulfilled, which means it’s important to arrive earlier in order for you a assured window desk. It additionally signifies that when you do luck out and get a window desk, don’t be stunned when you purchase new “household” members as soon as the fireworks begin.
Personally, I don’t view ‘Ohana as nice fireworks view restaurant, even whether it is on paper. We don’t dine there for the views; on the contrary, we favor ending earlier than Fortunately Ever After begins in order that we will watch from elsewhere on the resort.
For the final ~5 years, this weblog’s place has been that ‘Ohana is overrated. With that mentioned, there are causes to dine at ‘Ohana, whether or not you’re a first-timer or longtime fan. And if any of these apply to you, my view is that the view doesn’t actually matter.
Principally, that if it made sense so that you can eat at ‘Ohana earlier than this obstruction information…it nonetheless does. This doesn’t transfer the needle by hook or by crook, besides possibly in borderline instances the place the view was a giant a part of the attraction and you’d’ve made a desk request.
As at all times, now we have two suggestions for anybody wanting an ‘Ohana different: Sebastian’s Bistro and Wailulu Bar & Grill.
The latter is situated within the close by Island Tower and has a greater view of the fireworks and extra moderately priced delicacies. With regards to eating places we revisit, Wailulu Bar & Grill within the Island Tower is our present favourite at Walt Disney World. I’d advocate Wailulu over ‘Ohana even within the absence of this information.
Sebastian’s Bistro is just not a fireworks view restaurant within the conventional sense of the time period, however now we have seen the EPCOT pyro from right here earlier than. We love Sebastian’s Bistro as a culinary counterpart to ‘Ohana, and our most up-to-date assessment just about tells the story: Sebastian’s Bistro is Higher, Cheaper & Simpler Than ‘Ohana!
Each of those eating places make our record of the 26 Greatest Eating places at Walt Disney World for 2026. ‘Ohana doesn’t. Make your ADRs accordingly…or not! Numerous followers love ‘Ohana, and can argue that it’s nice proper now and never simply resting on its laurels. We plan on revisiting ‘Ohana someday in 2026 for a contemporary assessment.
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Your Ideas
Do you ebook ‘Ohana for its fireworks or Magic Kingdom view? Or do you agree that obstructions at ‘Ohana don’t actually transfer the needle on whether or not to eat there? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
